Back-up gear for gasoline-driven locomotives



Jan. 27, 1931. w. H. HOODLESS BACK-UP GEAR FOR..GASOLINE DRIVENLOCOMOTIVES Filed Feb. 26, 192 4 Shets -Sheet 1 InvenTor WilliamHibolless, his y/ m 66w:

Jan. 27, 1931. w. H. HooDLEss' BACK-UP GEAR FOR GASOLINE DRIVENLOCOMOTIVES 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1.926

- In ven'ibr W11 am H Hoodtess by hfsafl 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. H. HOODLESSBACK-UP GEAR FOR GASOLINE DRIVEN LOCOMOTIVES Filed Feb. 26, 192

Invenlor VVTHmm lflHoodless M5 hqwwfioowh Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED)STATES WILLIAM H. HoonL'Ess, or PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA "BACK-UP GEARr03 GASOLINE-DRIVEN LOGOMOTIYESQ:

, Application filed February 25, ieaefseriai nmeasavi; r

v these locomotives :to movement inone direci tion and" compelled theinstallation of turn tables, Ys or like devices along the railroad whichthey were usedon. To overcome-this objection to the locomotive thusconstructed and make possible the use of all the transmission speeds ofthe tractorin both directions of the'locomotivestravel, that is, toenable the locomotive to utilize both the tractor forward speeds and thetractor is the kind select- 7 ed for adaptation reverse speed, ineitherjdi- I rection where the locon otives travel, is. the fz'o mainpurposeofthis' present device The tractor can be purchased, and'adaptedto use as alocomotive for a small fraction of, the "cost of a locomotivebuilt in the ordinary way,

and this has resulted in its large use for this purpose in spiteof itsobjectionable slow backing-up. -My device is very simple; it changesonlythe assemblage in theparts imme'diately connected with the rearaxle. 1 It 'doe's not change'the housing of these parts except by a verylittle cutting and drilling and a few easily made and attachedparts,uses the bearings of any usual formof worm gear driven tractor in theiroriginal housing, and is otherwise a very simple mecha $5 nlsm,inexpensive to make and easy and quick to assemble.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section on a'plane containing the axis of'the maintransmission shaft, and perpendicular to the axis of the 4o rearaxle.Fig. 2 is an elevation of the hous-,

ing from the rear. "Fig.3 is a view partly in planand partly inse'ction'of the assemblage of iparts at the rear axle; the 'se'ctionplane containing-the axes of the rear axle, and

: shaft of the driving bevel pinion; Fig.4 is

" a section on line 44z 'of Fig.3. Fig; 5 isfan endview ofthe clutchsleeve; 1 r f 6 is a side elevation of 'theolutch sleeve; Fig. 7 isaview of the spli'ned sleeve.

- "Fig. Sis a side elevation of-the assemblage and Fig. 9 is a view theclutchshifting lever... a V v The rear of the driving mechanism of thetractor I usuallyadapt to' form ag'asolin'e driven locomotive iscontained 'inQa housing. This housing is the housing marked on thedrawings. Iitfcontained, beforefadapted according to my improvement, thestandard worm gear drive, for which I-subs'titute' part of my train'ofgearsand theclut'ch'and'part of the clutch shifting mechanism, which I'will des'cribebe'low; adding to :itfadditional housing.which -is easilyattached, containing other parts of iny gear train and'the necessarybearings for The bearings in the original housing are-used unchanged.The

axle, 22, is a solid member and extends between the rear wheels.- Thebevel gear -wheels,'18, and 40, are mountedthereon and revolve freelythereon-except when engaged by the clutch,vvhich, as a whole, is marked7 9. These bevel gear wheels, 18, and d0, are

driven by the bevel pinion, 19,"as-will be hereinafter described, andrevolve lnopposite directions. I The clutch assembly is placed betweenthesebevel gear wheels, and is mounted on the axle, 22. It consists ofthe splined sleeve, 4, that spaces the bevel gears.

I18, and 40, from each other and is positioned on the axle, 22, the pin,42, and when the clutch is engaged with one of the, bevel 'gear grooves,l5, sliding along the splines, 3, of

clutch teeth', 31, of the bevel gear 'wheels, 18,

and 40andar'e driven by. them, wheniso engaged; The. clutch and bevelgear wheel assembly is contained in the. original housing and bearingsof the tractor I usually adapt to forma gasolinedrivenlocomotive-without 7 wheels, 18, or 40, drives the axle,'22,-bytl'1e, key, 43. The clutch, 9, is a cylinder with any change. Thehousing, 1, iscut tojallow the introduction of thebevel pinion, 19. The

boss, 10, containing the bearing, 13, is insert ed in .a circular holein the housing; in which bearingturns the shaft,",-20; that carries thebevel pinion, I9, which is preferably-integral r wit-hit; A suitablepacking retains the grease inside-the hous ng L- On this shaft w,isi

the driven gear wheel, 12, that is suitably keyed upon it, by the key,39, which can also aid in positioning the wheel, 15. The cover, plate,50, has the bearings, 41, for the end 1, by the bolt, 37, and thescrews, 38, the cover plate being secured by screws. The whole forms ahousing for the assemblage of the gear wheel, 12, and its drivingpinion,51. The driving pinion,'51,'is driven by the shaft, 35, which is anextension of the drive shaft, 86. Very conveniently, it may be furnishedwith the splines, for engagement with the main drive shaft. The usualbearings, 138, are the same in construction and position with thestandard Fordsonfbearings which may be used without change in adaptingthe tractor, r T i c The bearing, 60, for the clutch shifting devices isinserted through athole cutin the 'walls of the ,case of the housing, 1,and

bolted firmly to it.. The; clutchlshifteryoke is provided with thetrunnion blocks, 65, 65, and keyed to the shaft which is 'mountediin thebearings, 60, and is actuated-by the lever,

Then the locomotive is being driven, the clutch is engagedwithone or theother of the bevel gear wheels, 18, or 40, and the locomotive is drivenin eitherdirection accordingly. All the speeds of the tractor can beused in either direction. r 7

While the present improvement is directed to the structure that adapts atractorto be converted into a practically operating gasoline drivenlocomotive, the detailsflof-thisstructure that are not made elements ofthe claims are not to be taken as limitations ona claim that does notcontain them as ele ments explicity, or by fair implication.

1- claim: f v

1. Ina gasoline driven locomotive formed by the conversion to railroadrequirements of the rear axle driving mechanism of a worm driventractorstransmission, the combination with the rear axle housings, driveshaft, driveshaft housing and rear axle bearings and driveshaftbearings,.said axle housing being provided with anopening attherear thereof, -of an extension shaft-fitted to the driveshaft andextending beyond the back of the said axle housings, a drive pinionmounted on said extension shaft, a shaft bearing placed inthe openingatthe rear of said axle housing andcarried thereby, a shaft bearingcarried frointhe -said; axle housing and alignedwith the saidbearingcarried by the hous1ng,a driven gear-,a shaft carr ed by saidbearingsan'dcarrying said driven gear wheel which meshes with the-pinionon the drive shaft and ,which is situated between said aligned bearings,a driving bevel gearat the end of said shaft, driven bevel gear Wheelsloosely mounted on the rear axle being in permanent mesh wlth thedriving pinion on opposite sides thereof and'a clutch for locking eitherone of said driven bevel gear wheels requirements of the rear axledriving mecha nism of a worm driven tractorstransmission, thecombination wlth'the rear axle housing 7 of the tractor, and drive shaftof the tractor,

of an auxiliary housing secured to the rear of the rear axle housing, anextension of the drive shaft extending into said auxiliary housing, arear axle, an auxiliary shaft carried'in bearings in said auxiliaryhousing and in bearings in the rear of said rear axle housing, andextending into, said rear axle housing on a line at right angles withsaid axle, a bevel pinion. carried by said auxiliary shaftanddriventhereby, a pair ofbevel-gears mounted npon and freely turningupon said axle when not clutchedithereto, said pair of bevel gears beingpositioned on" opposite sides of said bevel pinion, and in constant meshtherewith, means for bringing the bevel gears selectively intooperativecdnnectiQngwith said axle, and gearing operatively connectedwith said auxiliary shaft and the extension of the driveshaft,andenclosed within the said auxiliary housing 7 a 1 3. In a locomotiveformed by the conversion and adaptationto railroad purposes of-awoimrdriven tractor, the combination with the tractors rear axle housingand drive shaft, of an axle placed'within the rear axle housing andconsisting of a solid member extending between the rear wheels, anauxiliaryhousing attached to the tractorsrear axle housing, an extensionof the tractors drive shaft extending into said auxiliary housing andhaving a bearing therein, an auxiliary shaft extendingthrough the wallsof the tractors rear axle;

housing, and having a bearing in said housing,

and having its-ends projecting into the tractors rear axle housing andthe auxiliary housingrespectively, gearing within said auxiliaryhousing, operatively connecting the said end of the said auxiliary shaftwith the extension of the drive shaft, a pinion on the said auxiliaryshaft at its end within the rear axle housing, a clutch assembly mountedupon, turning with and movable along the said solid axle, gears mounteduponsaid rear axle and freely revolva-ble' thereon whennot lockedthereon by the clutch assembly and positioned oneither side-of the saidpinion within the said tractors housingand meshing therewith, and meansfor shifting said clutch, extend ing through thetractorc housing.

4. In a gasoline driven locomot ve formed by theconversion-andadaptationto railroad requirements of a worm drivenvtrjactors transmission, the combination with the drive f shaft and rearaxle housing of the tractor of an auxiliary housing secured to saidtractor housing, a solid rear axle, an extension to the" tractor driveshaft secured thereto, revolving therewith, and extending intov theauxiliary housing and having bearings therein, a speed reducing gearcouple having shafts and located in said housing, a driving pinion on Vthe shaft of the one of said gear couple of reduced speed which shaftextends into the rear housing of the tractor, a pair of driven gearsloosely mounted on the said solid-rear] axle and driven in oppositedirections by said driving pinion and in constant mesh there'- with, andthe clutch containing a clutch shifter passing through the wallso-f thetractor housing, a clutch assemblage operatively connected to saidshifter and mounted on said solid axle and containing means for lookingeach of said'driven gears to the axle independently of the other. 7

7 mission adapted to railroad requirements, the combination with thedrive shaft and 5. In a locomotive driven by tractor transthereon, asolid axle, a'bevel gear assemblage comprising twobevel gears looselymounted on said axle and in continuous 1neshingre lation with saiddriving bevel gear pinion, and a clutchmechanism on said axlecontaining'means for clutching either of said driven bevel gears tosaidaxle. s

6. Ina locomotive driven by tractor trans mission adapted to railroadrequirements, and having asolid rear axle, the combination with the maindrive shaft and rear axle housing, of an auxiliary housing mounted onand secured tosaid tractor housing, consisting of acasing' enclosing therear of said rear axle housing and fitting tightly against thesame'along edges of saidicasing, the said tractor rear axle housingbeing cut away to form an opening therein on a level with the said axle,and having a journal bearing mounted in said opening, a splinedextension for said tractor drive shaft extending into ,7 7. In alocomotive convertedifrom a trac- I tor and driven byatractor'transmission, and adapted to railroad requirements, wherein themain portion of the original housing of the rear axle and adjacent partsare retained, the'combinatlon with the sald rear axle'hous ingof anauxiliary housing fittingupon and mounted upon the rear of said rearaxle housing-and covering a portion of therear thereof, said rear axlehousing having anjopening through a portion of itswalls covered by thesaid auxiliaryhousing, a journal bearing carried in said opening,anextension to the main drive shaft of the tractor extending into saidauxiliary housing and having journal bearings and a drive gear withintheauxiliary housing, a solid rear axle, gear wheels freely revolvablymounted on said rear axle and a gear train in constant mesh with bothgear wheels that are freely revolvably mounted onsaid rear axle, andwith the gear carried by said extension to, said main drive shaft, andcontained partly within said rear axle housing,

and partly within said auxiliary housing, and having one of its shaftsextending through the walls of the rear axle, housing and journaledtherein, the

said shaft andthe journal bearings therefor.

closing the opening in the Walls of the said rear axle housing, and aclutch provided with locking devices alternately locking one of the gearWheels mounted on therear axle to said axle.

8. The device as defined in claim 7, wherein the bearing for the shaftof the said gear train that passes through the Wall of the rear 1 axlehousing is;mounted in journalbearings mounted in the walls of housings,and

the said auxiliary housing is also provided With ournal bearings forsaid shaft,said tWo sets of shaft. v A

9. The device as defined in claim 7, Where-a in the auxiliary housingcomprising a vertical rear plate having a suitably locatedrear- 'wardlyextending recess carrying in said re- 7 journal bearingspositioningisaid cess, a journal bearing for the gear train shaft thatpasses throughthe wall of the rear axle housing, and plates enclosingsaid housing and connecting the same tothe walls of the rear axlehousing.

WILLIAM H. HOODLESS.

said auxiliary housing, a speed reducing V couple mounted in saidauxiliary housing, a driving mechanism between the gear of lesser speedand said splined extension of said tractor drive shaft of said reducinggear couple, a pair of gear wheels loosely mounted upon the rear axle,each driven constantly and in a reverse direction by said drivingmechanism and a clutch alternately locking one of said gear wheels tosaid axle.

